Airmail  A Lost Chapter
by LovelyLytton
Summary: Four shitennou, one senshi, one prince, and one princess. Dinner at the Tsukino/Chiba household at the beginning of Airmail. Or: a foray into the life of Usagi, gracious hostess extraordinaire.


**Title:** Airmail - A Lost Chapter

* * *

><p>Was it the worst day of his life? No. But if he had been a normal person who hadn't spent the majority of his late teenage years being abducted by crazy aliens or villains from days long past, Mamoru Chiba's answer might have been a different one.<p>

Right now, he was trailing after four girls, none of which was his girlfriend, but all of whose bags he was carrying. When he'd asked Ami if she could help him find a good Christmas present for Usagi, he really hadn't considered the possibility of Minako, Makoto and Rei trudging along.

They'd already been to six stores (yes, he kept count), all of which were crowded and made him want to go home, draw the shutters and sit down with a good book and a serious cup of cocoa. But he couldn't do that because his wife was at home, being all adorable and lovely and altogether very deserving of the best Christmas present in the world. And without his wife's friends, Usagi would once again be at the receiving end of Mamoru Chiba's complete lack of talent of finding a present that didn't come with a 4 GB memory card. He just couldn't continue buying her iPods: she already had three different models, and even though they were all pink and Usagi loved all things pink, there was a limit to how many iPods one woman needed. Her birthday gifts were much easier: he always got her some nice jewellery on birthdays. He could pick out a nice necklace or some fancy earrings. Usa always told him he had great taste in jewellery.

Mamoru slowed down. Couldn't he just get her some more jewellery? Might the solution be so simple?  
>"Ami, what do you think about a nice ring?"<br>Ami, whom Mamoru thought of as a nice, reasonable woman with whom one could have serious conversations about medicine and saving people, frowned the way she always did when she was considering an idea from every angle. "Usagi already has a wedding ring and an engagement ring, so that means you would have to get a ring that is not for her ring finger," the med student finally said and Mamoru knew that it was Ami's way of saying oh hell no.

Minako turned around, always less nice than Ami, and groaned. "Mamoru, you give her jewellery for her birthdays! You have to find something else for Christmas, be innovative, be creative, be less of a predictable bore!"

Bristling, Mamoru clutched the handles of the shoppings bags a little tighter, the plastic biting into his skin. "I am not a bore."

Minako arched a brow. "You could have fooled me."  
>"I asked for help picking out a present, and yet I don't see you helping. You're just shooting down every idea I have."<br>"That's because your ideas aren't good," Rei contributed matter-of-factly.  
>"What was wrong with the microwave? It had flower stickers on the side."<br>Makoto, who had strayed off to buy herself a coffee, rejoined the group and pried the lid off her paper cup. "Are we still talking about the microwave? Mamoru, no offence, but all Usagi would do with it is set your house on fire."  
>"She knows how to use a microwave," Mamoru insisted and put down the shopping bags in an act of defiance. Usagi wasn't as good a cook as Makoto (well, actually, she wasn't a good cook at all), but she tried. His defence of Usagi earned him a rare smile from Rei. Minako however was not as easily appeased.<br>"Well, no to the microwave, and no to jewellery. Back to the drawing board."  
>"You could get her a book, " Ami suggested, prompting Minako to roll her eyes, Makoto to smile, and Rei to shake her head. "I don't think she would like a book as much as a microwave with flower stickers," Mamoru said, trying to be friendly, "but I'm open to other suggestions."<br>Makoto took a sip of her latte macchiato. "Hello Kitty alarm clock? They have one with little angel wings." Minako nodded. "That was pretty, wasn't it? I bought one for myself." She nodded in the direction of one of the countless pink shopping bags at Mamoru's feet.  
>"It's not enough," Mamoru said simply, and turned to Rei. Perhaps the miko had a good suggestion for him. Rei met his eyes and sighed. "We are not even Christians, so I don't understand the need to buy Christmas presents. It's a strictly commercial holiday."<br>"Rei, you have met my wife, haven't you?" Makoto laughed, and feeling a little more accepted than usual, Mamoru continued. "Usagi likes it, she even bought a tree, and wants to light real candles."  
>"Don't let her do that," Ami protested, an edge of panic to her voice.<p>

"Minako, do you have a good idea? Seeing how half of those shopping bags are yours, I think you should know a thing or two about rabid consumerism." Minako smiled, but something about that made Mamoru wary.. "Glad you asked. Why don't you book a little vacation for the two of you? Usagi is always on about how hard you work, and how much she misses you, so a bit of time locked in some remote cabin would be the best present you can give her." Gloating, Minako rocked on her heels, her skirt and hair softly swishing back and forth with the movement.

"That's... that's actually a really good idea."  
>"I know," she answered, looked smug and Mamoru promptly remembered why he and Minako usually didn't spend much time together.<br>A suspicion began to dawn on him. "When did you have it?"  
>"Oh, three of four shops ago." Makoto giggled and wandered off. She had seen the two of them butt heads often enough, and there were some very nice shoes in the shop window to their right. Ami trailed behind her, and only Rei remained to watch the colour rising in Mamoru's cheeks.<br>"Then why didn't you say so? I hate shopping," Mamoru burst out. Minako, walking over to Rei, linked her arm through that of her friend.  
>"Well, someone needs to carry the burden of my rabid consumerism, don't you think?"<p>

It was then, shopping begs aplenty at his feet, that Mamoru wished for some friends of his own, the kind that hated shopping as much as he did and would support him in his constant battle against the silly women of the world.

* * *

><p>Merely three months later, destiny had intervened, and Mamoru Chiba had been granted his wish.<br>His shitennou were back, a set of friends that were his very own. Granted, they were still getting to know each other and Mamoru had learned very quickly that the memory of a person he'd known in a different lifetime was a very different thing from meeting that person again today.

He and Usagi were on their way back home, walking briskly through the cold February air. Just minutes ago, they had all been in Elysion, where it was always spring and never winter. In front of himself, Usagi, Ami and Makoto, the shitennou had once again pledged life and loyalty to their prince, but Mamoru wasn't so sure how he felt about that.

What had he done that warranted binding these men into another lifetime of duty? He barely even knew them. Nephrite was Hiromasa now, a man he knew almost nothing about. Sure, he knew that he and Makoto were already inseparable, and if he remembered correctly, Hiromasa worked as a carpenter in this life. He had had coffee with him and Kunzite, no, Takeshi last week, and with Umino and... Ando, right, Ando this week, but what were three meetings in the face of eternity?

A tug at his hand made him look at his wife. In the cold, Usagi's nose had turned as pink as her cheeks, and as always, he couldn't help but smile when he looked at her.

"What are you worried about?"  
>"You know me too well."<br>Usagi giggled, her breath coming out in little white clouds. "Mamo, you always worry."  
>"It's just that I barely know them, and already, they have devoted their life to me. It seems unfair."<br>Usagi took his arm and lifted it over her shoulders, so that he was half-hugging her as they kept walking. Having her closer made him feel better already.  
>"Why don't we invite them over for dinner? Just you, the boys, and me. I'll cook," Mamoru raised his eyebrow, and Usagi grinned. "Fine, we'll invite Makoto too and she can help me cook, and then we can spend a nice evening together, get to know each other a little better."<br>"You'd do that?"  
>"What a silly question," Usagi answered, and elbowed him in the ribs. Laughing, he kissed the top of her hat-covered head.<p>

* * *

><p>The dinner was set to take place the very next Friday. Mamoru had switched his shifts at the hospital so that he could finish at five that day (meaning he would make it just in time for the dinner's actual start at seven), and Usagi had promptly and gladly decided to ditch all her classes at university so that she could cook during the day.<p>

Since grocery shopping preceded cooking, she spent the better part of the morning drinking coffee, making a shopping list, drawing little menus with lots of bunnies and stars and hearts on them, and wandering through her favourite supermarket, picking up things from the shelves and putting them back again, and pressing her fingertips into fruits to see if they were ripe. By the time she returned home, the little hand on her wristwatch was steadily wandering towards three.

The table was set sometime after four, and it was about that time that Usagi realised that unless she actually started cooking, her guests would feast on nice sparkly water from Europe, wine from South Africa, and some baguette and butter. The chicken breasts (because Makoto had said chicken is easy, just shove it in the oven and sprinkle olive oil, rosmary, and plenty of lemon slices on it) were still sitting on the worktop awaiting sprinkling, sprucing and of course, actually being shoved in the oven.

Disappearing into the bathroom to fetch a scrunchie, she returned with her hair in a huge messy bun and her hands all washed and clean. A casserole dish was soon found, and Usagi dumped the chicken breasts in it without further ado. Once they all lay next to each other, she liberally doused them with olive oil, cut a few lemons into slices and artfully draped them atop the chicken and finally, because she'd forgotten to buy rosemary, she plucked a few leaves of the almost dry basil plant she had once bought and almost never watered. Once the basil was tossed in the casserole dish, the whole thing found its way into the oven and Usagi began to peel potatoes. Nothing you can do wrong with potatoes, Makoto had said, and Usagi tended to agree. Peeling, boiling, serving. The big pot was already on the stove, filled with salted water, and after all the potatoes were stripped of their peel, they were dropped into the pot one by one. Usagi set an alarm for ten to seven, so that she would remember to turn the stove on by then. The first course was a green salad with lots of tomatoes (again, almost like a mantra, Makoto had sturdily said nothing you can do wrong with a salad), so Usagi took the salad and the tomatoes over to the living room, turned on the TV and watched some Buffy while chopping things. She only cut herself once, and it wasn't even too bad, so once she had talked herself into being brave and putting a bandaid on it, she returned to cutting tomatoes. The big bowl was then pressed into a not quite big enough shelf in the fridge. Being a smart girl, Usa had decided to buy some ready-made dressing, a bottle of yoghurt vinaigrette, that she now wedged in the fridge as well. Already, there was a bit of difficulty closing the fridge, but Usagi was nothing if not determined and a little violence finally did the trick. One just had to be a bit careful when opening the fridge, was all.

* * *

><p>Five came and went and Mamoru didn't arrive. Usagi wasn't surprised: he might try to finish work at five, but there was always someone who needed to look at something just as he was about to head out of the door. And since Mamoru was too nice to say no to someone who needed help, Usagi knew he'd be a little late. As long as he arrived before the boys did, everything was going to be fine. It wasn't event that Usagi would mind being alone with them (plus, Mako would be there anyway), but she knew that Mamoru would be unhappy if anyone thought him rude.<p>

Wandering into her bedroom, she opened the double doors of her wardrobe, and began to flick through dresses as if they were pages in a magazine. Faced with the question of what to wear, Usagi reached for her phone, dialling Mina's number without having to look it up.  
>"Yup," Mina answered on the second ring, and Usagi dramatically sighed into the phone. "I don't know what to wear."<br>"To the dinner party I'm not invited to?"  
>"You didn't come to the pledging ceremony, so no chocolate cake for you."<br>"You're baking?"  
>"No, Makoto is bringing it. I'm making salad, chicken, and potatoes."<br>"Good choice."  
>"Thanks, it was Mako's idea."<br>"I figured. Why don't you wear that nice black polka dot dress we bought together last autumn? It's cute."  
>"It's so serious."<br>"It has polka dots and ends way above your knee, Usa, how serious can it be?"  
>"With the pink ballet flats? And the nice rose-shaped earrings?"<br>"Yeah, sure, sounds good." Minako sounded less than enthusiastic, but Usagi had an inkling that this was less the earrings' fault, and more that of Takeshi's. Makoto had told her that Minako and Takeshi had met already, more than once, actually, but that things between the two of them were more than a little complicated. Apparently, they didn't talk to each other, which wasn't to say that they hadn't found some other medium of conversation. Usagi was not surprised, not even a little. Goddess of love her friend may be, but she was also stubborn and hadn't been in a serious relationship even once in her life.  
>"Mi, you wanna come to the dinner? You can talk to everyone, have some salad - no chicken though because there isn't enough, and you'll have to eat off a plate that doesn't match the rest, but if you behave, you can come."<br>"I always behave," Minako shot back, but Usagi could hear the mirth in her friend's voice.  
>"Mamo said you teased him terribly when you went shopping together."<br>"Mamo is an old tattle-tale."  
>Usagi laughed. "Yes, he is, but you really need to be a bit nicer to him, especially now that the shitennou are back."<br>"Don't see the connection there. And Rei was snarky too."  
>"No, she was serious, she always is."<br>"You weren't even there!"  
>"So? Mamo told me everything. The holiday was a really good idea, by the way. We're going to the mountains in September."<br>"You can thank me by sending me a postcard."  
>"I could also thank you by making you come to dinner and have polite chit chat with Takeshi."<br>"... Usa, we don't really do polite chitchat."  
>"So, do you want to come or not?"<br>"Not, I think. But thanks anyway. And don't wear the pink ballet flats, wear you black ones with the little bows. Much better."  
>"Will do," Usa said, and ended the call. After a quick shower and a lot of blow drying, she quickly put some mascara and rouge on and slipped into the dress and shoes. Mina was right: the black ones looked better with the dress than the pink ones.<p>

* * *

><p>The alarm in the kitchen rang, and Usagi hurried over to turn the stove on, so that the potatoes would be ready in time. A quick glance into the oven told her that the chicken would still need some more time, and just to be sure that it wouldn't still be rare by the time they got to the main course, Usagi upped the temperature a little. She spent the remaining ten minutes putting beer bottles in the freezer. Men liked beer, so beer she'd bought. She just had to remember to take them out before the beer froze, she thought, and then the door bell sounded through the flat. So Mamo wouldn't be there to greet their first guest. Oh boy.<p>

Looking down her dress to check once more that all buttons were closed and the back didn't stick in her knickers or something, Usagi went to open the door. Predictably, the first one to arrive was Takeshi.

"Hi," Usagi beamed at him, and Takeshi inclined his head in response. He was even taller than Mamoru, and more serious too. Usa briefly debated whether she should hug him, but then the tall man all but shoved a bottle of wine into her hands.  
>"This is for you. Thank you for the invitation, and your troubles," he said, and she could tell that he didn't usually spend too much time around people. The poor dear was awfully stiff.<br>"Come on in," she said. "You can leave you coat in the bedroom, if you want to. It's this way."  
>"Thank you," he replied politely and it was obvious that he was wondering where Mamoru was. His eyes were flitting over her shoulder, searching her husband. It was as transparent as it was endearing. "He's still at the hospital, but he'll be here any minute now," she said and put a calming hand on his arm.<p>

Just then, the bell rang again, and Makoto and Hiromasa appeared, carrying another bottle of wine and a promisingly huge box. "Is the cake in there?"  
>Makoto laughed. "Hi to you too." Hiromasa, completely unbothered by both the large box under his arm, and the fact that they barely knew each other, pulled Usagi to him and hugged her as if she was his long lost little sister. Usagi giggled. "Hi Hiromasa." "Oh please, just call me Hiro. My parents call me Hiromasa when I've done something wrong." Makoto snickered. "So all the time?" "Har har," he replied and let go of Usagi and pressed a kiss on Makoto's cheek while hustling the three of them inside the apartment.<p>

Makoto made a beeline for the kitchen and seconds later, they could hear the oven being opened, its fan whizzing. The smell that wafted out of the kitchen wasn't too bad, Usagi thought. Not burnt, that was something. "Usa, is that... basil?"  
>"I forgot the rosemary," the hostess replied cheerfully and took Hiro's coat and unceremoniously tossed it into her bedroom. Takeshi had followed Makoto down the hall and was now standing in the kitchen like a big, suit-clad statue. Hiromasa grinned. "Rosemary, basil, it's all green, so who cares?"<br>Makoto tutted. "Basil looses all its taste when it's exposed to heat for too long. It's why one puts it in last." Hiro and Usagi exchanged a look, shrugged at the same time, and promptly began to laugh. Usa had known from the start that she and Hiro would get along well. He had such a friendly nature that it was impossible not to like him. "Want a beer? Or would you prefer wine?" She looked from Hiro to Takeshi and back, not even bothering with Makoto whom she knew was lost to them all until she had finished improving the food.

"I'd like some wine please," Takeshi said, and Usagi handed him the South African she'd bought earlier, and the bottle opener as well. "Would you mind? Mamo usually opens the bottles, and I never quite got the hang of it."  
>Takeshi nodded and set to work. Hiro had wandered back into the hall, and from there into the living-room. Usagi followed him. "You have a very nice home," Hiro said, and pointed at the framed pictures on the wall beside the television. To say that there were many of them was an understatement. Most of them showed either Usagi and Mamoru together, smiling prettily for the camera, and enjoying various holidays. There were also a lot group shots of the girls and family pictures of the Tsukinos, but only one of a dark-haired woman and man with a little laughing boy between them.<br>"Those the Chibas?" Hiro asked and stepped closer. "How come this is the only picture? Mamoru not a family person?" Usagi winced. It was a good thing Hiro had asked her now instead of Mamoru at the dinner table, for the conversation would have certainly put a damper on the evening. "His parents died when he was little. There are a few more pictures in his study and on the bedside table."  
>"Oh, sorry," Hiro immediately said and looked contrite. "No siblings?" Usagi shook her head, and he sighed. "That sucks. I have a huge family, and it can be quite the comfort, you know?" Thinking of her mother and father and Shingo, Usagi nodded. "I know. But he has me, and my mother adores him. So does my brother, you should see the two of them together. They're always on about computers and playstations and all that tecchie stuff, and I can barely get a word in edgewise."<p>

A klicking sound followed by loud hooha from the hall indicated that Mamoru had arrived (for the bell hadn't rung) and had stumbled into Umino and Ando somewhere on his way home. The three men were now entering the flat, and Mamoru was grinning from ear to ear while Ando finished telling a story about flat hunting. "I would never rent anything to you," Mamoru said, and Ando grinned. "Oh yes, you would. My powers of persuasion are extra-ordinary."

"Is that the good doctor I hear?" Hiro boomed from behind her and moved into the hall as well, joining the chatter. Takeshi was already there as well, looking a bit like the odd one out. He was the only dressed to the nines, and the only one who wasn't laughing. Ando and Umino, both with snow flakes in their hair, were just shrugging out of their winter jackets. Umino took them to the bedroom, and then bounced over to Usagi. "Hi," he said, and smiled, all his white teeth showing. Something told Usagi that he too came from a big family, and like herself, had a mother who had watched his dental hygiene like a hawk.  
>"Hi," she responded, and let him hug her. His hug was far less bone-crushing than Hiro's, but no less warm. While Mamoru guided Takeshi back into the kitchen, where the dining table awaited them, Ando walked over to her and Umino. "Hello, gracious hostess," he greeted her, and made a move to ruffle her hair. Usagi quickly side-stepped him, and Umino laughed. "Watch out for that one, he is cheeky at best, and annoying at worst."<p>

* * *

><p>The potatoes were a bit too mushy, and truth be told, substituting fresh rosemary with old basil might have been the decisive factor in turning the chicken into something far less yummy than it should have been. Or it might have been that Makoto had told her to put the oven at 140° for three hours and not at 220° for two, but who cared about details like that?<p>

But the salad was good, and nobody complained that the nice yoghurt dressing had smashed once Mamoru had opened the fridge. It was actually hysterical, the way it splattered Mamoru's trousers and the kitchen floor, and then everyone but Ando tried to clean it up. Makoto dashed to the rescue and whipped up some lemon-y dressing, and then everyone was seated at the table. Usagi made Umino switch places with her so that she could sit next to Mamo, who smiled and pressed her hand before turning his attention to both the conversation and the chicken.

Makoto's chocolate cake was the perfect dessert, and Usagi promptly cajoled Mamoru out of the better part of his piece. Her evening was made when Takeshi then offered her half of his slice as well. Makoto could only groaned. "Usa, don't you have any shame Leave the guests their cake."  
>Merrily scraping half of Takeshi's slice onto her plate, Usagi laughed. "No. Plus, Mamo doesn't mind. Do you, honey"<br>"After three years of marriage, I'm used to it."  
>Makoto shook her head and gave Hiro a warning look. "Don't get any ideas."<br>Ando leaned over and snagged the last piece of cake from Hiro's plate. "Yes, don't get any ideas," and before Hiro could even protest, it had disappeared in Ando's mouth. "Yow arr an xcllent bawker," Ando exclaimed with his mouth full and the rest of the table erupted in laughter.

* * *

><p>After that, the whole group moved over into the living-room, where Takeshi, Mamoru, and Hiro sat down on the couch, with Makoto perched on the armrest. Umino claimed the armchair, and Ando and Usagi sat down on the carpet. Mamoru subtly made eye contact with his wife and patted his leg, indicating that she could come over and sit on his lap, but Usa shook her head. It wouldn't do to let Mamoru hide behind her because he was unsure of how to best deal with his new found friends.<p>

"Shall we play a game" Usagi suggested and beamed at her guests. Mamo looked at his wife, all bright blue eyes and lovely smile, and despite hating board games in general, and the ones Usagi unfortunately favoured in particular, he found himself agreeing. "Sure, why not." Beside him, Takeshi managed to squirm in his seat despite not moving a muscle. Umino tapped Usagi on the shoulder. "I actually brought some games with me." "You did That's great! What did you bring" "Watch the armchair for me, and I'll go and get my backpack" Usagi nodded, and Umino scrambled to his feet and left the room. Ando spotted his chance and made a move towards the chair, but Usagi was up like lightning and threw herself on it. "Reserved for Umino," she said sweetly.  
>"I could tickle you out of that armchair," Ando said and wiggled his fingers. Mamoru cleared his throat. "I don't think so."<br>Beside him, Takeshi glared at Ando, obviously resenting the younger man's liberal manner of speaking to their prince's wife.

Umino returned, carrying his backpack. "I brought Risk, Trivial Pursuit, Poker and Monopoly."  
>Usagi moved out of the armchair again and let the youngest shitennou re-take his seat. Ando mock-glared at her, and Usagi swatted at his arm. He was a lot like Shingo, she realised, a bratty, loud, funny younger brother kind of person.<br>Makoto immediately vetoed Risk, stating that "we're too many anyway," which Usagi knew to be code for I hate this game. Rei, Ami and Minako loved playing Risk, and always forced Makoto and Usagi to play along, thus breeding a strong resentment in the two girls. To this day, Usagi didn't understand why her friends so liked to play at war, when there were so many happier gaming alternatives.

Hiromasa seemed less than thrilled at the idea of playing Trivial Pursuit because he already knew all the answers by heart, having spent his whole childhood playing the game with his various siblings and relatives. Takeshi and Mamoru offered no opinion and instead sat silent and awkward next to each other.  
>With Risk and Trivial Pursuit out of the running, the group was left to choose between Monopoly and Poker.<br>"What kind of Monopoly" Usagi asked, thinking longingly of her own Disney Monopoly she kept on their wardrobe. Umino reached into the backpack and pulled out a lurid yellow box. "Spongebob!"

Mamoru facepalmed. The choice was made.

* * *

><p>"That's not what it says in the rule book," Takeshi complained and looked up from the thin manual with his brows furrowed. He was still mulling over an action of Umino's from three moves past. Umino had built a hotel on the first two streets on the board, the dark purple Chum Bucket and Plankton's Lab, but he hadn't built four houses before that. Umino, Usagi, Makoto and Mamoru claimed that this was okay, as long as Umino paid for all of the houses he was not going to build on top of paying for the hotel, but Hiromasa, Takeshi, and the rulebook said that this move was actually forbidden.<p>

"You haven't played it before, have you" Usagi asked, not unkindly, and Takeshi shook his head. "No, I wasn't familiar with this game prior to tonight." Just returning from the kitchen, carrying three bottles of beer (two of which he handed over to Hiro and Umino), Ando snatched the rulebook from Takeshi's hand and tossed it in the corner.  
>"Man, there are house rules too! Let's just play and let Umino have his hotel," Ando said, and sat down again, indian-style. Takeshi glared at him. "I was reading that."<br>"Yes, but you're not supposed to read, you're supposed to decide whether you want to buy the bloody street or not. So, do you want to become the proud owner of-" Ando craned his head and read the street name upside-down, "Sandy's Tree Dome"  
>"Since Mamoru already owns Mermalair, and you bought Squidwart's Island Tiki House, it would not seem to be a very advantageous move." He turned to Mamoru. "Is that correct"<br>"Depends on whether you intend to barter later in the game."  
>"I see. In that case, yes, I want to buy."<br>"How come you have a Spongebob Monopoly" Hiro asked Umino, as he and Takeshi completed the transaction. Umino put his hair behind his ear, looking a little self-conscious and quite young. "My nan gave it to me. She knows I like Spongebob."  
>"Usagi has a Disney Monopoly," Mamoru announced, and Umino smiled gratefully. Ando rolled his eyes. "So both my roommate and my future queen are basically children in adults' bodies The universe is doomed."<br>Umino blushed, and Usagi frowned. "If you were my brother, I'd smack you now. And believe me, it would hurt."  
>"After plenty of Tsukino family dinners, I can attest to the validity of that statement," Mamoru said and Ando gave Usagi an appraising look. "You don't look like you have a lot of upper body strength."<br>"Be rude more often, and I might surprise you," Usagi answered levelly, and for just a second, her big blue eyes were completely serious. "So the kitten has claws," Ando murmured, and took a sip from his beer.

Makoto yawned. "As much as I would like to watch how this unfolds, I think I need to call it a night. I have to get up at five tomorrow." Hiromasa drained his bottle and put it on the floor. "I'll go with you."  
>"But what about your streets" Umino asked.<br>Makoto and Hiromasa exchanged a look. "I'm giving mine to Takeshi," Makoto said, and handed her stack of cards over the man at the other end of the couch. "And I'm giving mine to Usagi," Hiro added, and smiled at the blonde woman perched on the carpet. Usagi promptly jumped up and hugged him. "Yay, thank you! Now I can finally build some houses!" "Take 'em down, little one," Hiro laughed. Mamoru sighed and looked at Takeshi. Several glasses of wine had helped to set the men more at ease. "Your cake, my cake, and now his cards. Takeshi, meet my wife, queen of Monopoly."  
>"I don't know, with Makoto's streets, I might actually stand a chance. Usagi, are you willing to battle it out" "Sure! Rent immunity until everyone else is broke" Takeshi chuckled. "You are a fearsome woman."<br>Ando jumped up and retrieved the rulebook from the corner of the room. "Excuse me, but this holy book says nothing about rent immunity!"  
>"It's a house rule," Mamoru deadpanned and happily watched his wife squee.<p>

* * *

><p>Minus two players, the game proceeded more quickly. It wasn't long before Umino went bankrupt. The youngest shitennou cheerfully took over the bank and doled out clams and pineapple huts (this version's dollars and houses), and Usagi was best pleased to have such a good loser among them. Ando, set on his path to financial destruction, had already mortgaged his measly three pineapple huts and had barely any currency left to pay the rent on Mamoru's street with. Mamoru had gotten his favourite streets again, the most expensive ones, and grinned like the cat that got the canary every time someone stepped on his property, which - weirdly enough - was almost every round.<br>"If you give me a loan now to cover my debt, I can repay you back at a 10% rate every time I roll a 5 from now on."  
>Mamoru looked up and subtly met his wife's eyes. Usagi pretended to re-fasten the pins in her hair and shook her head, a soft movement, unnoticed by anyone else. Mamoru grinned. "No loans." Ando sighed. "You drive a hard bargain. Okay, every time I roll a 4 then. 4s are much more common than 5s, everyone knows that."<br>"I don't think this is how the game is supposed to go," Takeshi offered and frowned. Now that the clock had long since crossed past midnight, even he had shed his blazer and loosened his tie a little. If she got him to have another glass of wine, he might go and visit Minako to talk, Usagi thought and reached for the bottle, slyly topping up his glass.

Ando was still fighting his demise in the game. "House rules, remember Okay, Chiba, you get to choose which number I'll roll to pay, but I'm not going above 12%, I'll tell you that now."  
>Again, Usagi shook her head, and again, Mamoru declined. "If you can't pay, then you're out."<br>"Well, I'm not gifting my streets to either of you then. They're going back on the market. You are undeserving of the Tavern."  
>"Is that an orange street? Because in that case, I want to buy it," Takeshi immediately stated, and Mamoru smiled and clapped the architect on the back. "Now you've got the hang of it."<p>

* * *

><p>It wasn't until two that the apartment cleared out and Mamoru and Usagi were alone, doing the dishes together. Usagi yawned. She'd kicked her shoes into a corner, and had already taken out the pins in her hair. After the dishes, she would shimmy out of the dress and into her pyjamas and let Mamo cuddle her to sleep. But before that could happen, the dishes needed doing. Beside her, Mamoru stood tall and silent. "It was a nice evening, wasn't it" she asked, and bumped her hip against his.<br>Mamoru smiled. "Yes, it was. We can do the dishes tomorrow and just go to bed, Usa."  
>His wife threw him a cheeky grin and reached for the casserole dish, squirting a generous amount of washing-up liquid into it and then running it full of water. After, she carefully placed it beside the sink to let it soak. "Tomorrow, you are going to be at work, and I'll be doing the dishes alone. You know how much I hate polishing wine glasses." Mamoru laughed. "True."<br>He handed her the glasses, and she put them into the sink.

"So, how do you like your new old friends"  
>Mamoru gave a little shrug and began to toy with the dishtowel. "Hiromasa is great," he said, "he's a bit like you, sets people at ease." Usagi grinned. "I like him too. And he and Mako are so happy. It doesn't seem like they only got together a month ago, does it" Usagi took the first wine glass and carefully wiped it with the sponge. Wine glasses were her least favourite things to wash; they broke too easily.<br>"Well, I don't know much about how people look at various stages in their relationships. The only couples I know are us, your parents, and Motoki and Reika. That's not much to compare Hiro and Makoto too."  
>"Oh shush, Mamo," Usagi said, and handed him the first glass to dry. He accepted it, and she knew that he was not at all worried about it breaking in his hands. Her husband was a surgeon, a skilled one at that, and he knew exactly how much pressure he could put on things. If only he had the same intuitive talent with people. Something about the evening, about the boys, was bugging him, but he wouldn't share it. Part of Usagi suspected he didn't even know what exactly it was, she'd have to make him talk it out.<br>"What do you make of Takeshi" she asked and reached for the next glass. She'd forgotten to wear her rubber gloves again; her nailpolish would splinter. Crap. She'd only applied it yesterday.

Mamoru put the glass in the cabinet to his right. "I like him."  
>"And he even let go a bit at the end, didn't he Had a bit of fun," Usagi continued to pry, and Mamoru grinned. "A bit, yes. Did you see his smile after Ando went bankrupt"<br>Usagi laughed. "He had it coming."  
>"Why didn't you want me to give him the credit" Mamoru asked suddenly, and Usagi sighed. "I like Ando, I think he's fun, but he was mean to Umino."<br>Mamoru leaned himself against the cabinets. "He's inappropriate."  
>"Oh honey, you aren't jealous because of the tickling thing, are you"<br>When Mamoru said nothing, Usagi let the glass sink into the water and put her wet, soapy hands on each side of his face. Mamoru wrinkled his nose and tried to weasle away, but Usagi held on tight, forcing him to look her in the eyes until he smiled. "You have no reason to be jealous," she said. Men were so abysmally stupid sometimes, and her genius husband was no exception. Unaware that this wife was lovingly mocking him in her head, Mamoru leaned forward and kissed her. "Because you love me"  
>"Yes, that too."<br>"Why else" Mamoru whispered, and pulled her closer to him.  
>"Because he wasn't flirting. I know you think he was, but he wasn't. He's like Shingo."<br>"Let's not talk about your brother right now. Let's not talk at all," he whispered, and butterflies began to dance in her stomach when Mamoru leaned forward again, this time going for her neck. Goosebumps danced on her skin as soon as Mamoru's lips touched the tender flesh below her ears.

But there were still dishes to be done, and things to be talked about. Usagi twisted out of his embrace and went back to work. Mamoru sighed. "Don't think I don't know what you're doing."  
>"I'm making you talk about things you'd rather not talk about. I've been doing that for years."<br>"So we can only go back to kissing and not talking or doing dishes once we've talked the evening through"  
>Usagi laughed. "You got me there. So, you really like Hiro, connected with Takeshi, are wary of Ando, which is silly. What about Umino"<br>"He's very nice," Mamoru said and after a minute, added thoughtfully "And rather clever. Very bright. Did you hear what he said about the Japanese legal system"  
>Usagi shook her head. "I was probably talking to someone else then."<br>"It was quite impressive. And I like that he managed the bank after he lost."  
>Usagi smiled. "He's such a good loser that I wish he'd won."<br>Mamoru shook his head and smiled at his wife. "Usa, you won."  
>"I know, but it would have been nicer if Umino had won. He'd deserved it more."<p>

They finished the dishes in easy silence. Once Usagi had made good on her self-given promise of ditching her dress in a corner, both got dressed for the night and headed for their bedroom. It was cold under the covers, and Usagi shivered. "I hate winter."  
>Mamoru, who had the rare talent of falling asleep the second his head hit the pillow, yawned, and pulled his wife closer. "You don't hate anything," he murmured sleepily, and after a while, when Usagi already thought him asleep, added "thank you," whisper-quiet.<p>

Smiling to herself, Usagi pressed her cold feet against her husband's, and fell asleep.

* * *

><p>***<strong>The End<strong>***


End file.
